[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7963 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7963

     To direct the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate 
regulations to improve the Lifeline program of the Commission, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 17, 2026

Mr. Obernolte introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To direct the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate 
regulations to improve the Lifeline program of the Commission, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``No Lifeline for the Dead Act''.

SEC. 2. LIFELINE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall 
promulgate regulations with respect to the Lifeline program to provide 
for the following:
            (1) The eligibility of a consumer for assistance under such 
        program shall be determined using the National Lifeline 
        Eligibility Verifier and the National Lifeline Accountability 
        Database, without any option for opting out of such Verifier or 
        such Database on the basis of a State or other system related 
        to eligibility determinations.
            (2) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, any consumer whose eligibility for assistance 
        under such program was determined without use of the National 
        Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and the National Lifeline 
        Accountability Database--
                    (A) shall have the eligibility of such consumer for 
                assistance under such program reexamined and determined 
                using such Verifier and such Database; and
                    (B) shall be no longer eligible for assistance 
                under such program if determined ineligible pursuant to 
                a reexamination under subparagraph (A).
            (3) Only a consumer who is a citizen of the United States 
        or a qualified alien shall be eligible for assistance under 
        such program.
            (4) Only a consumer who provides, as part of the 
        application process for assistance under such program, the 
        Social Security number (or a Tribal identifier) of such 
        consumer shall be eligible for assistance under such program.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Lifeline program.--The term ``Lifeline program'' means 
        the Lifeline program of the Federal Communications Commission, 
        set forth in subpart E of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (or any successor regulation).
            (2) National lifeline accountability database.--The term 
        ``National Lifeline Accountability Database'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 54.400 of subpart E of part 54 of 
        title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor 
        regulation).
            (3) National lifeline eligibility verifier.--The term 
        ``National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 54.400 of subpart E of part 54 of 
        title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor 
        regulation).
            (4) Qualified alien.--The term ``qualified alien'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 431 of the Personal 
        Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 
        (8 U.S.C. 1641).
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